Title 15Commerce and TradeRelease 119-73

§3151 Nondiscrimination

Title 15 › Chapter CHAPTER 58— - FULL EMPLOYMENT AND BALANCED GROWTH › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER III— - GENERAL PROVISIONS › § 3151

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Stops any program or activity that gets money under this law from excluding people, denying benefits, or treating them unfairly because of sex, age, race, color, religion, national origin, or disability. If the Labor Secretary finds someone getting funds is not following this rule, the Secretary must tell them to fix it. If the problem is not fixed within a reasonable time, and no more than 60 days, the Secretary can send the case to the Attorney General, use powers under the Civil Rights Act of 1964, or take other lawful action. The Attorney General may sue in federal court when a case is sent or when there is reason to believe a group is repeatedly breaking the rule. The Labor Secretary must also put a detailed review in the yearly report about how enforcement affects the number and quality of jobs and job chances.

Full Legal Text

Title 15, §3151

Commerce and Trade — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)No person in the United States shall on the ground of sex, age, race, color, religion, national origin or handicap be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity funded pursuant to the implementation of this chapter, including membership in any structure created by this chapter.
(b)Whenever the Secretary of Labor determines that a recipient of funds made available pursuant to this chapter has failed to comply with subsection (a), or an applicable regulation, the Secretary shall notify the recipient of the noncompliance and shall request such recipient to secure compliance. If within a reasonable period of time, not to exceed sixty days, the recipient fails or refuses to secure compliance, the Secretary of Labor may—
(1)refer the matter to the Attorney General with a recommendation that an appropriate civil action be instituted;
(2)exercise the powers and functions provided by title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000d et seq.) 11 So in original. Probably should be followed by a semicolon. or
(3)take such other action as may be provided by law.
(c)When a matter is referred to the Attorney General pursuant to subsection (b), or whenever the Attorney General has reason to believe that a recipient is engaged in a pattern or practice in violation of the provisions of this section, the Attorney General may bring a civil action in the appropriate United States district court for any and all appropriate relief.
(d)To assist and evaluate the enforcement of this section, and the broader equal employment opportunity policies of this chapter the Secretary of Labor shall include, in the annual report referred to in section 1022a(f)(2)(B) of this title, a detailed analysis of the extent to which the enforcement of this section achieves positive results in both the quantity and quality of jobs, and for employment opportunities generally.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

For definition of “this chapter”, referred to in subsecs. (a), (b), and (d), see

References in Text

note set out under section 3102 of this title. The Civil Rights Act of 1964, referred to in subsec. (b)(2), is Pub. L. 88–352, July 2, 1964, 78 Stat. 241. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is classified generally to subchapter V (§ 2000d et seq.) of chapter 21 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 2000a of Title 42 and Tables.

Amendments

1998—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 105–277 substituted “include, in the annual report referred to in section 1022a(f)(2)(B) of this title,” for “include, in the annual Employment and Training Report of the President provided under section 705(a) of CETA,”.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

15 U.S.C. § 3151

Title 15Commerce and Trade

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73